Insecurity: Catholic Bishops Seek Assistance Of Foreign Forces

Catholic Bishops under the symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (ECAM), have lamented the upsurge of insecurity in African, appealing to foreign forces to join forces with the region to arrest the situation.

The bishops said collaborating foreign forces will help in halting the unwarranted killings of innocent souls occasioned by the rising spate of kidnapping, sectarian war, banditry, herders-farmers’ clashes, terrorism and other unrests in the continent.

This formed part of the resolutions reached after its 19th Assembly Plenary of the episcopal body held recently in Accra, Ghana, with the theme: “Ownership of SECAM: Security and Migration in Africa”.

The resolution contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti by the Catholic Bishop of Ekiti, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, on Thursday, the group decried that several regions of Africa are experiencing unwarranted killings due to poverty and economic deprivation.

The bishops identified poor handling of the economy and weaponisation of religion for political gains other factors responsible for the violence rocking the African nation.

The clerics said: “Several regions of our continent are experiencing insecurity due to socio-political instability, violence, poverty, weak health structures, insurgency, terrorism, exploitation of religion for political purposes and lack of respect for environment and good governance.

The clergymen persuaded African citizens, including church leaders, to coalesce efforts with governments of their countries in building peace, warning that perceiving issue of security as government’s sole responsibility would further spell doom for the populace.

They appealed to leaders to fashion out policies that will discourage irregular immigration by African citizens.

The clerics added, “We urge leaders and decision makers to put in place structures and conditions that will discourage irregular migration, especially promoting good governance, social justice, social inclusion employment opportunities and fighting insecurity.